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 **Director's Corner:              Drones** April 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 3
  I recently  participated in an important forum on the uses of Unmanned Aircraft Systems  (UAS), also known as drones, in law enforcement. This ground-breaking meeting  brought over 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders together to  share experiences, discuss challenges, and consider strategies for the way  forward with this rapidly growing technology. Principal Deputy Associate  Attorney General Jesse Panuccio addressed the meeting, which was hosted by the  COPS Office in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum and the  Department of Homeland Security’s Office of State and Local Law Enforcement. Featured Podcasts **Drones Podcast Series**
  This special series takes an in-depth look at considerations for police departments looking to implement an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program, and features officers who are responsible for Drone operations from the Chula Vista Police Department (CA), Michigan State Police, and the Torrance Police Department (CA). Chula Vista Police Department (CA) Listen/DownloadRead Transcript
  Torrance Police Department (CA) Listen/Download Read Transcript
 Michigan State Police  Listen/DownloadRead Transcript
 According to  a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimate, more than one million  recreational and commercial drones are now used in the US, and within the next  three years that number is likely to increase to as many as 2.4 million. Law enforcement  use has become widespread too. In 2017, it was estimated that about 347 police  departments, sheriffs’ offices, and EMS and fire departments in 43 states were  flying drones. And it is expected that this number will grow dramatically—for  good reason. Drones can  be a game changer for law enforcement in many areas, such as accident  reconstruction, search and rescue, fugitive apprehension, border control surveillance,  and crowd and crime scene monitoring. Less expensive than helicopters, their  size also makes them better adapted to tasks such as surveilling alleyways or  building interiors. UAS  technology is an invaluable tool for saving lives – those of law enforcement as  well as the public. In addition to their ability to shave hours, even days, off  searches for missing children, adults and individuals with disabilities, drones  can vastly improve a responding officer’s situational awareness. Used as  first responders, drones can scout the scene prior to the officers’ arrival, feeding  live video to commanders and field supervisors who can provide tactical advice  to those on the ground. And with powerful cameras attached, drones can sometimes  let an officer determine what a suspect has in his or her hands, whether it’s a  camera or a gun, avoiding unnecessary uses of force. In some situations, these  aerial scouts can even allow dispatchers to prioritize calls for service. But despite  their many benefits, some members of the public are wary about UAS use in law  enforcement, especially the potential for privacy invasion. Some may fear that  drones will spy on them. To allay those concerns, and also decrease a  department’s legal liabilities, forum speakers emphasized the need for  transparency and discussed various approaches for building public trust,  including holding public hearings and using social media to explain how the  drones will be deployed. Another  major area of concern is how to respond to the misuse of drones by hobbyists or  the malicious use by criminals and terrorists, which threatens public  gatherings, stadiums, airports, and critical infrastructure. To counter this  threat, law enforcement agencies must proceed with caution. The use of  technologies capable of detecting and mitigating drones must comply with a  range of federal laws on electronic surveillance and interfering with  aircraft.  It is legal to use certain  capabilities to detect drones—such as radar, cameras, and acoustic monitors,  provided appropriate regulatory approvals are obtained (e.g., the FCC must  approve the use of radar).  But the use  of technology capable of scanning the radio frequency spectrum may raise  serious legal risks. When it  comes to mitigating drones, the law is more blunt.  Outside of imminent threats of serious bodily  harm or death, all mitigation measures must be reviewed for compliance with the  Aircraft Sabotage Act, which prohibits actions that disrupt or interfere with  aircraft.  Congress has authorized four federal  departments—the Departments of Defense, Energy, Justice, and Homeland  Security—to mitigate malicious uses of drones, notwithstanding federal laws  that would otherwise prohibit those actions. However, local  law enforcement agencies can enforce existing laws—for instance, citing a drone  operator for reckless endangerment. Moreover, law enforcement, as well as state  and local government agencies are now working on developing ordinances and laws  to limit the unsafe use of drones. The FAA also offers a variety of resources  to assist law enforcement agencies in confronting this growing issue. Forum  participants also discussed best practices for implementing UAS technology. Though  drones are inexpensive and easily purchased off the shelf, the cost of the cameras,  training, and data storage and interpretation can be very steep. Several  participants recommended that departments reach out to agencies which already  have drones for advice on acquisition and use. Another recommendation was to  consider a joint program with neighboring jurisdictions, EMS, or fire  departments. While  discussing the implementation of UAS technology, participants acknowledged that  it offers huge advantages, with potential for greatly enhancing public, police,  and national safety. However, we must keep in mind that there is an urgent need  to develop practical procedures for the use of drones by law enforcement  personnel, as well as legal protections for countering criminal and malicious use. To assist  law enforcement agencies considering implementation of a drones program, the  COPS Office is working with PERF to develop a guidebook which will outline  recommendations. In addition, we will provide ongoing support and guidance in  all areas of law enforcement use of this advancing technology. – Director  Keith Tweet
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